tcm
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This came up on us unawares, didn't it? The powers that be (kim) is threatening to split the forum into "serious boatie" and "jokey stuff". Other posters have already voiced opinion against this. Kim cites the fact that "it doesn't always represent the interests of many". But I'd say "neither does any publication", does it?
Work out for yourself how/where many posters who are both v boatie knowledgeable, yet also post jokes, would position.
In part , the success of the forum is that for many forum posters, they use this forum AND HARDLY ANY OTHER. Witness the utter failure of the split of dinghy sailing, blue water sailing, and cruiser sailing forums, combined making nowhere near the volume or width of this. For success, there should be one sailing forum: blue water crusiers know all about the solent, for example. people who make jokes also know a lot about boats.
Another part of the success of the forum is the same as the success of a party. Have you ever been to a fab party with eight people? Of course not. More people -more party. Even though you may not get on with half or more of them - it's always a different half who want to dance (contribute) to any particular post.
Another part of the success is because that, with more people, it's "where it's at". Unlike almost all other forums, where the splitty down and "make yerown forum" means that tiny groups chat, a bit.
People who make long postings do so in part cos there's quite a big audience - has KH forgotten the tingle of being "published"? Is it the same as writing four letters to your family? No it isn't.
Separately, note that the party was made up of separate MBY and MBM types. Several hereabout do boating that is specifically one, not the other. But there are tricks and info to be learned from both. Note from the letters page that MBY will no longer do secondhand cheapy trailer-cruiser reviews. Note that predator 80s don't much feature in MBM. Note that any mainstream car magazine plonks a pic of a lamborghini or Ferrari on the front to kick up the sales - but inside are "mundane" issues all the way from new fiesta facelifts, cheap tyre adverts, jokes, car adverts and so on. Yes, and ferrari tests too.
Finally, the politics. Complainers and activists for change complain - but those who are satisfied don't. For this reason we have crappo government here and elsewhere. Winess the stupid and pointless Scottish, Welsh and European parilaments, diluting the power, attraction and quality of people in Westminster - cos Westminster in the 50's etc used to be "where it's at" . Surely it's okay to split the quality people about, tho? No - that isn't what has happened - mundane little postings/speeches here and there - but a good many of the higher quality posters when scuttlebutt/BYM have disappeared, as they have done with parliament, no longer the aspiration of many of our best people.
I'll boycott a split forum. Cos it won't be a forum, will it?
Work out for yourself how/where many posters who are both v boatie knowledgeable, yet also post jokes, would position.
In part , the success of the forum is that for many forum posters, they use this forum AND HARDLY ANY OTHER. Witness the utter failure of the split of dinghy sailing, blue water sailing, and cruiser sailing forums, combined making nowhere near the volume or width of this. For success, there should be one sailing forum: blue water crusiers know all about the solent, for example. people who make jokes also know a lot about boats.
Another part of the success of the forum is the same as the success of a party. Have you ever been to a fab party with eight people? Of course not. More people -more party. Even though you may not get on with half or more of them - it's always a different half who want to dance (contribute) to any particular post.
Another part of the success is because that, with more people, it's "where it's at". Unlike almost all other forums, where the splitty down and "make yerown forum" means that tiny groups chat, a bit.
People who make long postings do so in part cos there's quite a big audience - has KH forgotten the tingle of being "published"? Is it the same as writing four letters to your family? No it isn't.
Separately, note that the party was made up of separate MBY and MBM types. Several hereabout do boating that is specifically one, not the other. But there are tricks and info to be learned from both. Note from the letters page that MBY will no longer do secondhand cheapy trailer-cruiser reviews. Note that predator 80s don't much feature in MBM. Note that any mainstream car magazine plonks a pic of a lamborghini or Ferrari on the front to kick up the sales - but inside are "mundane" issues all the way from new fiesta facelifts, cheap tyre adverts, jokes, car adverts and so on. Yes, and ferrari tests too.
Finally, the politics. Complainers and activists for change complain - but those who are satisfied don't. For this reason we have crappo government here and elsewhere. Winess the stupid and pointless Scottish, Welsh and European parilaments, diluting the power, attraction and quality of people in Westminster - cos Westminster in the 50's etc used to be "where it's at" . Surely it's okay to split the quality people about, tho? No - that isn't what has happened - mundane little postings/speeches here and there - but a good many of the higher quality posters when scuttlebutt/BYM have disappeared, as they have done with parliament, no longer the aspiration of many of our best people.
I'll boycott a split forum. Cos it won't be a forum, will it?
